Hikari no Calumon
by GoggleMaster01
Summary: In a world where Rookies are slaves, a Patamon named Rook sets out on an adventure to find the mysterious Calumon that can purify the world. Lame, yea, but the original version of this was worse. Unspeakable rough drafts...
1. Prolouge

GoggleMaster01- This is an idea I had that sucked. I gave the plot a complete overhaul, but most of the characters are the same. I hope you enjoy! Oh yea, I don't own Digimon.

**PROLOGUE**

The Digimon live in a world parallel to our own. They all take on human form in this story, but can still use all of their normal attacks. The class order in the Digital World is that Fresh and In-Training Digimon are regarded as children and that all of the Rookies must submit to Champions, who in their turn submit to Ultimates who submit to Megas. Jogress evolved Digimon who evolved from two Megas and X-antibody Megas have the most power- power that was stolen from the Digimon Sovereigns many years ago.

There is a legend that the leader of the evil Digimon, BlackOmnimon X, fought Fanglongmon in a battle to decide the ruler of the Digital World. The battle between the two Digimon was starting to destroy the world. Fanglongmon had no choice but to surrender, but before doing so, he used the last of his energy to create Calumon, a little girl who would one day return to destroy BlackOmnimon X and restore the ways of the Sovereigns to the Digital World. Fanglongmon's last words were that Calumon, another In-Training Digimon and three Rookies would destroy BlackOmnimon X. So, obviously, BlackOmnimon X tried to destroy Calumon too, but the Digimon got away. BlackOmnimon X's first order of business was to send his troops after Calumon. His second order of business was to put the Rookies at the bottom of the social ladder so they wouldn't stand up to him. So, let's recap.

1- All the Digimon are gijinkas with their standard powers.

2- Megas rule the world, Rookies are at the bottom of the ladder.

3- Fanglongmon is dead, but he used the last of his power to create Calumon who would save the world from the evil BlackOmnimon X.

4- Everyone and their grandma is after Calumon.

5- Three Rookies and one In-Training were prophesied to save the world from BlackOmnimon X with the help of Calumon.


	2. The Chapter In Which Rook Escapes

**CHAPTER 1**

There is a small valley somewhere on File Island where Patamon and all their evolutions live. This valley was a low point that was surrounded by steep stone walls that sloped upwards into the surrounding forest. The valley itself was covered with sweet green grass that the Patamon spent most of their time grazing upon, and there was a row of small huts tracing the eastern edge of the valley for the Patamon to sleep in.

Someplace on the western side of the valley was a tower they just called the Tower. It was where the Angemon and MagnaAngemon lived, and looked a bit out of place in the simple valley. It appeared to be made of a sapphire blue Digizoid and was about five stories high. Several bright porthole-type windows covered the sides and there were always Angemon standing at the front door blocking Patamon from getting in. The Patamon had only been in the Tower when they were Tokomon and were raised lovingly until they evolved and joined the other Patamon in the valley. And the Angemon intended to keep it that way.

These Patamon spent about 75% of their time grazing for grass and sleeping, but at noon, the Patamon got together in the valley's center to socialize. At this time, the valley was a mass of squeaking chattering Digimon. Occasionally, the mass of trademark small orange wings that sprouted from behind the Patamons' ears, orange and cream T-shirts and blond hair would separate just enough to reveal their individual shapes to let another Patamon in, but it was basically the only time they got together, so the Patamon took full advantage. And that was pretty much their lives.

The lives of all the Patamon- except for one.

The Patamon thought he was playing with fire, and the Angemon and MagnaAngemon viewed him as an untameable deviant. He was in fact old enough to digivolve to Angemon, but simply chose not to. He wore his long hair in a ponytail and has a pair of aviator goggles to "shield his eyes from strong winds," even though no wind blew in the valley because of the steep walls. He wore a leather collar around his neck with a star tag that had his name in Japanese katakana.

He called himself Rook because no matter what anyone said or did, he just kept going on with whatever he was doing, whether that be stealing bread from Angemon (something that was viewed as unthinkable) criticizing the other Patamon for not standing up to the Angemon (who lived a more comfortable life than the Patamon) or throwing rocks at the Tower. (In a similar manner, the rook in chess only moves in a straight line).

Rook never went to socialize with the other Patamon, and he only grazed if he was starving, preferring to live off the bread he swiped from Angemon. Sometimes the other Patamon would catch a glimpse of him snoozing on a ledge on the steep rocky valley walls or climbing up said walls in a crazy escape attempt only to plummet to the earth or catapulting by with two or three Angemon following him and a piece of bread in his mouth. If other Patamon caught up with Rook, they'd advise him to cut his hair and join the others in the valley, but Rook would simply fall asleep or ignore them. And that's what was happening when our story begins.

Rook was sleeping on a ledge with a piece of bread, his favorite food, in his hand, happy with the day's heist. He's swiped the bread from some Angemon eating lunch right outside the tower, and of course they gave chase (all the Angemon knew his name). The Angemon thought they were SO HOT because they could fly, but Rook had scrambled up the steep rock. He climbed rocks in his spare time, and because he'd learned where all the crevices and tunnels in the rock were, the extra rock climbing paid off. The Angemon got exhausted trying to follow the little Patamon scrambling all over the rock, going into crevices and out of others and generally being elusive. The Angemon gave up and flew back home with Rook screaming, "Wimps! Can't handle a Rookie level, you big scary Champions?" at them.

After a while, he decided it had been safe enough to go lower to the ground and eat his bread. After munching for a while, he decided to take a nap. So, he was a bit surprised when he was shaken awake- he wasn't so close to the ground that another Patamon could reach him- right? Was it an Angemon?

"Hit the road, Angemon," Rook said, stretching and rubbing his eyes. "Can't you see I'm taking a beauty nap?"

"I'm not an Angemon, Rook," came a somewhat quiet voice.

Rook looked down. Another Patamon was half on the rocks and half off- just close enough to reach Rook while still touching the floor. His hair was shorter than Rook's (the average for a male Patamon) and his sky blue eyes were lighter than Rook's dark blue.

"I just came to warn you that they're going to try to digivolve you again into Angemon," the other Patamon said.

"Hmph," Rook grumbled. "They don't give up, do they, Fox? How many times have they failed to do that, twice?"

"Yea, but it'll be my ceremony too, so don't pull anything, okay?" Fox asked, a worried look in his eyes.

"Sorry, Fox, but tonight, I was going to try The Plan," Rook said, an mischievous grin on his face.

"Oh crap, not The Plan!" Fox let go of the rock and fell backwards. "And with everyone watching too..." he muttered.

"Yep, The Plan!" Rook said. "I ain't scared of the Angemon. All I need to do is

scramble up the rock through that one tunnel I found that one time. I've gotten a little farther through there each time before they caught me, and tonight's the night I'm going to get out."

"If you get caught, then they'll digivolve you for sure!" Fox chirped. "We can be in the Tower together!"

"Well, I'm going to get out of here and into the outside world, so that's out," Rook said. "You're always welcome to come. Aren't you curious to see the outside world? I'll have your back, so-"

"I've been waiting for this day my whole life!" Fox cried. "Sorry, but tonight I'm going to digivolve! And I advise you do too!" Fox began to walk away, then turned back and added, "And Rook, do me a favor and cut your hair. You'll have to look at least a little bit presentable!" before running off.

"Hmph. Alway with the hair." Rook lay back and nibbled on his bread.

"_I've always wondered what's out there? Is it better than in here? Is there a place, someplace in the Digital World, where everyone is equal regardless of level? I'd like to see that place, and if it doesn't exist, I'll make it. Someplace...far away..._"

* * *

The Patamon gathered at sunset around the Tower. Five Patamon (Rook and Fox being among them) stood in front of the tower d, illuminated by the setting sun. An Angemon paced back and forth and surveyed them. "Tsubasa, Stride, Wind, Fox. And Rook again," he said. "No more nonsense, got that?"

"Oh, sure, Octavius. I'll be a perfect little angel," Rook said in a mocking voice. Not only did all the Angemon know who Rook was, but Rook knew all the Angemon's names in turn. He and this Angemon, Octavius, butted heads a lot. As a matter of fact, it had been his troop that Rook stole the bread from.

Octavius grunted at Rook, then turned to the other Patamon. "These five Patamon will join us in the Tower," he cried. "Wish them luck on their new journey!"

The Patamon began to cheer. Rook began to silently mock Octavius with his hand, and Fox grabbed the moving hand to stop him.

Octavius walked to the far left where the first Patamon, Tsubasa, was doing an impatient little dance. "Tsubasa, join the ranks of the angels!" Octavius cried. When he did, the staff he carried began to glow. Octavius placed his staff upon the Patamon's forehead.

"Patamon digivolve to- Angemon!" The little boy sprung into a young man with a silver helmet. His hair became a darker blonde and longer and his T-shirt and shorts transformed into a blue and white robe. The Patamon watching cheered loudly, secretly harboring jealously for the lucky stiffs moving into the luxury of the Tower.

"Patamon digivolve to- Angemon!" The second Patamon, Stride, digivolved.

"Remember, no funny stuff, okay?" Fox whispered. "This is our big day." Rook just "Hmph"ed and stared off at the huge rock wall in the distance. There is was- the rock tunnel he'd dug one bit at a time from a particularly deep crevice. He'd dug almost the rest of the way to the surface himself and had only about a foot of rock to weather with his Boom Bubble.

"Patamon digivolve to- Angemon!" The third Patamon, Wind, digivolved.

"I'm next! I'm next!" Fox squealed. Rook got in a running position, but jerked back upright when Octavius cast him a nasty glance. The Angemon walked up to Fox and placed his staff on him.

"Patamon digivolve to- Angemon!" Fox sprung from a small boy into a man, and only Rook remained.

Octavius walked up to Rook and said, "Rook, don't run away again! Join the ranks of the angels!"

"Aw, that sounds nice..." Rook crooned softly.

Octavius began to lower his staff. "Don't run away, you punk," he said. "I'm almost the-"

"BOOM BUBBLE! PA!" Rook shot a shock wave at Octavius. Stunned, he dropped the staff and it stopped glowing. Rook didn't waste the distraction and took off running for the rocks.

"Pasta la vista, baby!" Rook cried, bolting for the tunnel.

"Stop him!" Octavius cried from his spot on the floor. The Patamon obliged and began to shoot shock waves. "BOOM BUBBLE! BOOM BUBBLE! BOOM BUBBLE!"

"How cute! Little bubbles!" Rook nimbly avoided every attack and kept running. He turned back towards the newly evolved Angemon. The larger and older Octavius was talking to them, probably ordering them to capture him. Fox cast a glance in Rook's direction, his eyes burning with angry tears.

"We aren't Pokemon!" Rook yelled to Fox. "We can de-digivolve! De-digivolve to Patamon and come with me, Fox!"

"Rook, we've been friends since we were Tokomon, but I've always thought you were the craziest Patamon I've ever met," Fox cried. "And now, you put on a scene at my evolution ceremony-"

"I know it was important to you, but I only had this one shot and-" Rook began.

"Join the ranks of the angels!" Fox's staff lit up and he led the other three new Angemon after Rook.

Rook broke the ranks of Patamon, who just mumbled about Rook not knowing what was best for him. The Angemon chased Rook and weren't showing any signs of slowing down. Rook gave a "Hmph" in their direction and then yelled, "Can't you go any faster?"

"Rook, this is mutiny!" Fox snapped.

"Fox, I don't think I'm getting another shot like this," Rook said. "Next time, they'll hold me down in chains, I bet. I don't want to digivolve- it'll go against everything I believe in! Remember that place I used to dream about? That place where Rookies and Champions had equal opportunities? The place you said sounded cool when we were Tokomon? I want to go there or create it myself- anything to see it for real."

"...We aren't Tokomon anymore, Rook! I'm an Angemon now, and you're just a punk! Our friendship is over! Hand of Fate!" Fox flew at Rook with a golden fist.

Rook was close enough to the rocks to fling himself upon them. He made a flying leap onto the rock. Time seemed to slow down, and Rook felt the cold hard muscular arm of an Angemon begin to wrap around his leg, but it failed to grab him, and a whoosh of air curled around Rook's leg.

SLAM! Rook connected with stone, and he began to scramble up the rocks, shifting sideways like a crab to tire the Angemon. "This is his normal tactic!" cried Fox. "Wait for him at the mouth of that tunnel up there and intercept him!"

The Angemon soared up to the mouth of Rook's escape route. Rook didn't see at first. He scrambled all over the rock, and the sound of wingbeats was now faint. "He. I threw 'em off," Rook said to himself. "Now to blow this snack shack!"

Rook took his sweet time nimbly climbing up the rock. When the tunnel started to come into view, Rook caught sight of the white boots of Angemon.

"Damn. That was why I thought I lost them. They went up here to wait for me. Thanks for showing them my tunnel, Fox," Rook mumbled. If he got caught, they'd hold him down in chains. That always happened if didn't comply and ran away from the digivolution ceremony three times. Then, he'd have no hope of escape.

Rook got an idea. He'd find another point and then weather his way into his tunnel. He needed a crevice to start with. Rook went a bit to the left and found a deep crevice that he could barely squeeze into. It had taken him ages to make the other tunnel- how long would it take to weather this one? He had to hit it with all he had. It might attract unwanted attention, but he had no choice. If the Angemon waiting near his tunnel or in the valley caught him, the show was over.

"Full Power Boom Bubble! Pa!" Rook shot a huge shock wave that tore through the stone. The crevice burst open, revealing another tunnel. Rook's sharp ears heard the Angemon starting to beat their wings. He quickly scrambled into the rock and went as far as he could go.

Rook could barely fit in the dark, tight tunnel. He had to crawl on his hands and knees, bit by bit. Occasionally, he'd hit a wall, and had about ten seconds to figure out approximately where he was and shoot a Boom Bubble, then keep going.

Dirt blocked Rook's eyes, blinding him and making them itch. At one point, Rook used his wing-like protrusions to blow some dirt away and slightly widen the space, wiped his eyes and goggles and then put the goggles on to shield his eyes from dirt. It didn't do much for the vision problem, but his eyes weren't itchy anymore.

After about an hour, Rook noticed the tunnel was starting to widen. He was nearing his tunnel. One more Boom Bubble burst through the rock and into a wide tunnel that he could stand up in.

It had taken Rook months to dig the tunnel. Every day, he'd climb up and blow away layers of rock until he got tired. Sometimes, he's lost his way and couldn't go back to get food, so he always made sure to take tons of bread with him on his expeditions. The tunnel was familiar territory- Rook knew every inch and sometimes took Fox up there. Fox had always worried that he'd get lost and Rook always replied, "Don't worry, I've got your back. I know every bit of this tunnel- we won't be lost."

Rook felt sick to his stomach. For the first time, he was feeling a twinge of guilt for ruining his friend's big day for his own selfish expeditions.

"Hey, there he is!" came a voice. A bright light filled the tunnel, making Rook blink. It came from Fox's staff. Fox knew him too well- the Angemon couldn't fit into Rook's alternate tunnel, so Fox figured Rook would dig another way in, and so the Angemon rushed to meet him in the tunnel. Rook ran up his tunnel with the Angemon in hot pursuit. The key now was to make a hole big enough for a Patamon to get through, but not an Angemon, at the end of the tunnel.

Rook kept running and running and running. He was starting to tire, and his legs were becoming sore. "Remember that place, Rook," he told himself. "That great, great place you dreamed about every night." The thought of all Digimon being equal pushed the Patamon on.

Rook raced into territory he'd only been in once- on his last expedition. He'd almost tore through to the surface, but became winded and hungry and was forced to go home. Rook knew that the instant he hit a wall, he'd break through. It had taken two months of calculation to figure out the best way to the surface and he'd drawn hundreds of blueprints in his hut to figure out where the rock ended and the ground of the outside world began. Rook had always drawn an X on the place he should start shooting next time before going down. The final X, a big white block letter he'd written in chalk, was about fifty feet away.

But, the speedy little Rook was starting to slow down, and the Angemon were showing no signs of stopping. "Rook, if you stop now, I'll take back what I said," Fox said. "We can be friends in the Tower. Best friends..."

Rook slowed down a bit, then thought again of "that place" and kept going. Whenever he was sad, whenever he felt like he would cave in from fatigue or blow up from anger, he thought of "that place" and calmed down or pressed on. It was always there for him, longer than Fox. But, Fox was Rook's first friend. In fact, his only friend.

He never wanted to admit it, but Rook was lonely.

"Angemon can wear their hair as long as they like," Fox went on. "No more people nagging that you to cut your hair. You can keep your ponytail."

"I'd shave my head to see this place, Fox," Rook snapped. "And I wouldn't do that for just anything. You know that."

For Rook, his long hair set him apart from the other Patamon. The ponytail simply kept his hair off of his neck. It wasn't that he was obsessed with his hair- he was obsessed with standing out from the crowd, and his long hair was his way of doing it.

"Come here, Rook," Fox went on.

"I'd say the same, but-" Rook bit his lip. He wanted Fox to come with him, but it seemed like he liked the life Rook despised better. "-but I think you like being an Angemon better, so go back to the Tower! Go have fun! But I'm not going! If you want me to enter the tower, you'll have to kill me!"

The only other time a Patamon was indicted into the tower was if they died. Their Digi Core was stored in a jar for unknown purposes. Rook had always said, "The only way I'm setting foot in that place is if they kill me." Always, ever since he'd evolved into Patamon.

"That is against the Code of the Angemon," Fox said. The Code of the Angemon were the rules all the people in the valley had to follow. Rook had broken a few of them. Like DON'T STEAL FOOD FROM A DIGIMON THAT'S A HIGHER EVOLUTIONARY LEVEL THAN YOU.

"You know what I mean! You'll never take me alive, coppers!" Rook squeaked, running as fast as his sore legs allowed him. A flash of white rock hit Rook's eyes- the X was in sight.

Rook ran-right into the rock! He began to wobble back and forth. The Angemon began to catch up. Was it all over for him? Was he going to digivolve?

"Join the ranks of the angels!" Fox held his staff out and it began to glow more brightly, illuminating Rook's pursuers in golden light. He could now see all five Angemon- thirty feet away! He'd run fast enough to desert them, but they were gaining speed, and they'd soon be breathing down his neck. Rook recovered form his smash- and got an idea. "BOOM BUBBLE! PA!" Rook blew a hole- right next to him. He climbed in, Boom Bubbled a bit to get a tiny bit deeper. and then- BOOM BUBBLE!- he hit the rock opposite him, making the rock tumble down and trapping him in a claustrophobic space.

Outside, there was a KABOOM! Fox had shot through the rock with his staff. Rook waited for a bit inside his hidey hole. There was no sound, and Rook was sleepy. He closed his eyes and almost fell into sleep, then shook himself awake- if he slept, there might be more Angemon waiting outside when he woke up.

"Boom Bubble! Pa!" Rook dug deeper to the east. He would keep going perfectly straight for a bit, then shot directly up and get out. It felt like Rook was trudging on forever, scrambling over fallen rocks and weaving his way around the black, unfamiliar and unforgiving tunnel. He was hungry and wished he'd brought some bread, or at least saved some from his last conversation with Fox. As you know, Digimon can't use their attacks if they're hungry, so Boom Bubble got weaker each time.

"I-I got no choice," Rook panted. "I'm running out of power, and I don't know how long I've been in here." He let out a dry cough. It was unsafe to stay in the airtight rock- there was barely enough air to breathe, but, if one spent a long time in the rock he could run out of oxygen and die. Rook had to blow out now, or die in the rock.

"*huff huff* This is it. *wheeze* Remember *huff* that place..." Rook forced himself to lift his head. A weak gust of air came out of his mouth. It barely shattered the rock.

"No. No. No!" Rook burst into a fit of coughing and gasping. He was going to suffocate, but he'd rather suffocate than go back to the Angemon. He was sure they couldn't fit in the tunnel he made, even if they did find out he was in there, but they would soon find a way in, and then-

"Think of that place, Rook, think of that place," Rook whispered to himself. Rook sucked in whatever air he had left in the tunnel, aimed at the top layer of rock where he'd hit before, and let go with all his might.

Rock began to tumble down. Rook crawled away in the direction he came and away from the rockfall as fast as he could- he didn't wish to get squashed. But, almost as soon as the first rock fell, silvery light and crisp cool air filled the tunnel. Rook wasn't suffocating anymore, but he could get crushed.

When he was far enough away, Rook covered his ears and waited for the loud noise of tumbling rocks to stop. When the last pebble piddled down, Rook opened his eyes. Rock blocked his way, but luckily, Rook had enough air trapped in his area to last him a few more minutes.

"Sorry, Fox," Rook said. He sucked up the air and unleashed a final Boom Bubble. The brown stone and dirt went flying down the tunnel- about three feet. But, there was a hole big enough for a young teen to squeeze through. It was the perfect size for the Patamon, who usually resembled fourteen-year-olds. Rook began to squeeze out- and heard the words "HAND OF FATE!"

The tunnel lit up with a dim light. The Angemon were far away, but they'd found out where he was and were hot on his tail. Rook forced himself through the hole and into the night.

He was so busy running that he could barely notice the beautiful night forest of the Digital World. It was a clear night, and the stars and moon cast a silver light upon the trees. Crickets chirped, small quiet noises that Rook had never heard. But he didn't notice. His bare feet struck cold forest ground, and he could feel the blood coursing from them as he ran. Rook ran and ran and ran like he'd never run before, knowing if he slowed down, he'd get caught.

A warm and tasty smell suddenly filled the cold, scentless night air. Rook began to run towards the warm smell, knowing nothing about the smell except that it smelled like food. Suddenly, Rook slipped and slammed on the floor. The scent of food was teasing his nostrils, and he tried to take another step towards it, but failed. Rook could barely see something move in the shadows, something with a long tail and sharp ears. Was it another Digimon? He couldn't tell.

Rook sunk into unconsciousness, a warm black blanket that he'd never felt before. He'd nearly passed out on some of his more dangerous digs, but he'd never actually fainted before because he'd been more careful. He would have been more careful trying to escape if it wasn't his one shot...he had to reach...that...place...

* * *

She saw the boy on the floor. She had went out to get more wood for her fire and hadn't expected to see the dirty Patamon, panting and wheezing, with bleeding bare feet, goggles over his eyes and a dirty ponytail.

"One of the Patamon from Patamon Valley?" she asked. "Why's he so far from home?" Did he even want to be home? She didn't know. She simply picked up the other Digimon and brought him back to camp.


End file.
